Police impersonators rob Pittsburgh apartment

July 20, 2009

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Police in Pittsburgh say four men gained entry to an apartment by claiming to be police officers and robbed the family inside.

Police say the four men screamed, “Police task force, this is a raid!” as they forced their way into the apartment Sunday afternoon. Victims said one of the men wore what appeared to be a fake badge around his neck and another had a piece of paper that he passed off as a search warrant.

Three male victims were handcuffed and the one female victim was forced at gunpoint to give up an undisclosed amount of money and valuables. A neighbor saw the female victim being dragged to the rear of the apartment building and asked the woman if she was OK, distracting the man and allowing the woman to break free.